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Monday, 18 June 2018

A poem by Jean Atkin

The Ketley Tiger

In rain a tightrope walker leads a boy from Ketley through the tents.
She sways her hips down horselines, says, You want to see the tiger?In lantern-light the great cat rises, black and orange as paints.In rain a tightrope walker leads a boy from Ketley through the tents.He bangs his stick on iron bars. Tiger! he calls. Oh Tiger! Its eyes are stripy flints.The tiger springs, the cage is smashed. Its spine is snapped. There’s thunder.In rain a tightrope walker leads a boy from Ketley through the tents.She sways her hips down horselines, says, You want to see the tiger?

Another year, an urban night, a tired driver in an Astra takesthe roundabout, third exit into Ketley. A full-beam tiger in the headlightpaces its cage on the grass. The driver is afraid he is awake.Another year, an urban night, a tired driver in an Astra takesa breath, a tiger in his brain. The foundations of his suburb shake. He clutches tea, says to his wife, Its stripy eyes were burning bright.Another year, an urban night, a tired driver in an Astra takesthe roundabout, third exit into Ketley. A full-beam tiger in the headlight.

Jean Atkin has published ‘Not Lost Since Last Time’ (Oversteps Books), five poetry pamphlets and a children’s novel. Her poetry has been commissioned for Radio 4, and featured on ‘Best Scottish Poets’ by the Scottish Poetry Library. Her recent work appears in The Interpreter’s House, Magma, Lighthouse, Agenda, Ambit and Poetry Salzburg. She is poet in residence for Hargate Primary School in West Bromwich and works regularly in schools and on community projects in partnership with a wide variety of organisations.